Need help with Sump Pump Reair or Sewer Ejector Pump Installation Service we are here

24 Hours a Day 7 Days a Week.

This Home Flash Diagram Below is courtesy of Mr Drain Plumbing & Drain Cleaning ® Inc that is designed to give you a detailed informational hands on about the plumbing and drainage system in your house. Take a moment and browse the text in this image by bringing mouse on the text. Some text will have informational links

CALL 1-866-99 MRDRAIN

A properly installed and maintained sump pump will solve most basement flooding and leaking issues. As residential and commercial plumbing experts, Mr Drain ® can inspect your property and install weeping tile around your home's basement foundation that will catch ground water and runoff water from around and beneath your basement foundation and direct it into a sump pit or well.

A modern, efficient electric powered sump pump will discharge the collected water out of the pit or and into the city storm drain or out on the property, away from the foundation based on local code requirements.

Sump pumps play an important role in the waterproofing process when an internal water management system is used. The sump pump is placed beneath the basement sub-floor at the lowest point of the drainage system so that all of the water captured in the perimeter drainage pipes flows toward the pump by means of gravity feed.

Once the water reaches the sump pump tank which houses the sump pump, it is then pumped outside through a discharge pipe that exits the basement above the sill of your home's foundation. This approach is the least intrusive to the foundation and does not require penetrating the foundation, or an extensive excavation outside the foundation in order to divert the water, as would be the case with a system entirely reliant upon gravity feed alone. The water is pumped out and then led through a pipe not far below the ground, carrying it to a safe distance away from the foundation. This process prevents the water table from ever reaching the level of the basement sub-floor.

The sump pump will not activate until the water in the sump pump tank reaches what is known as "the critical level". When this level has been reached, the sump pump will automatically turn on and begin to pump the water out.

How a Sump Pump Works –
Groundwater is collected by drain rock and drain tile buried along the foundation and/or under the floor (in some cases). Drain tile carries the water to the sump tank that is buried in the basement floor. Large houses may have two sump tanks for proper functioning of the system.
The sump tank (also known as "basin" "crock" or "sump pit") may be made of clay, steel, tile, concrete, fiberglass, or even polyethylene. Size of standard tanks is about 18 inches in diameter and 2 to 3 feet deep but they may vary in size.
A sump tank is normally located at the lowest point in the basement. Most of these tanks have a hole in each side for incoming drain tile. All sump tanks also have a sturdy cover. When the tank gets filled with groundwater upto a certain level, the pump automatically get activated. Some of the sump pumps are also controlled manually but they are rather less common.

Standard sump pumps are electric powered. There are two main types of standard sump pumps: submersible and pedestal.

A submersible pump is completely concealed inside the tank.

A pedestal model has a column that protrudes up through the tank's cover. The motor is mounted on the column, above the floor level.

Both, submersible and pedestal types of sump pumps draw water in through a filter trap.

This filter trap should be cleaned periodically for smooth functioning of the system. They pump water out through a discharge pipe or hose. As soon as an automatic pump empties the tank to a certain level, it's motor turns off.

If the system is connected to a sewer, the discharge pipe has a check valve and may also have an anti-siphon device to prevent any backflow.

In some cases the discharge pipe is simply connected to a hose that carries the water away from the house. Codes in most areas dictate where the water must be discharged. Check out your local codes.

Sump Pump Basics
­A sump pump usually stands in a sump pit -- a hole with a gravel base about 2 feet (60 centimeters) deep and 18 inches (45 centimeters) wide -- dug in the lowest part of your basement or crawlspace. As the pit fills with water the pump turns on. It moves the liquid out of the pit through pipes that run away from your home to a spot where the water can drain away from your foundation.

The pipe usually has a one-way valve called a check valve at the pump end to keep the water from flowing back into the pit. Most sump pumps turn on automatically through a float activator arm or a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor works just like its name suggests: Water exerts more pressure on the sensor than air does, which causes the pump to activate. The float activator works a lot like the one in your toilet tank. A buoyant ball floats on top of the water, manually moving the arm as the water level rises.

You can also buy a manually operated pump, which works only when you decide to turn it on, but these aren't as common because of their lack of convenience. Automatic pumps also have an option for you to activate the pump if the float arm or sensor should fail to work.

The typical home sump pump uses a centrifugal pump to move water. When the motor is on, it causes a screw- or fanlike device called an impeller to turn. Using centrifugal force, the spinning impeller forces water toward the sides of the pipe, creating a low-pressure area at its center. Water from the pit rushes to fill the void, and the impeller's spinning action pushes it out through the pipe.

Sump pumps for home use are powered by electricity and use standard household current, so they don't require specialized wiring beyond a grounded outlet. Since the pump is always in or near water, it's a good idea to have a ground fault circuit interrupter { GFCI } on the outlet to prevent accidental electrocution.

There are two primary sump pump designs, both of which are about 2 1/2 to 3 feet (76.2 to 91 centimeters) high. A submersible pump rests in the water. It's encased in a waterproof housing, with the pump itself at the bottom and the outlet pipe near the top. A flat screen or grate covers the bottom of the pump to keep out debris. When the pump turns on, water is sucked up through the grate and routed into the pipes and out of your home.
The other common type of sump pump is the pedestal pump. Pedestal pumps look something like a long stick with a fat head. The pedestal keeps the pump out of the pit, away from the water even when the pit is full. An inlet pipe reaches down into the bottom of the pit to draw the water out. Since the motor and pump are out of the water, pedestal pumps are usually louder -- but less expensive -- than submersible pumps.

Read on to learn whether you need one of these pumps in your home and what to do to keep it working once it's installed.Call your local Mr Drain ® today to inspect your sewer ejector pump before it fails and floods your basement or crawlspace.

A sewage or grinder pump, (there is more than one grinding method) reduces sewage to a finely ground slurry of waste and water which can then be pumped or forced to its destination.

In the sewage grinder pump the number of wires and pipes at the tank tells us that this is a duplexed or two-pump system with two grinder pumps, two drains, and a tank alarm as well.

Sump Pumps
Sewer Ejector pump installation and installation of battery back-up sump pump systems are among the many services offered by Mr Drain ® .
A sewer ejector pump is a small pump installed in the lowest part of a basement or crawlspace. Its job is to help keep the area under the building dry and to prevent it from flood­ing. Usually, sewer ejector pumps are installed in specially constructed sump pits. Drain flows into the sump pit through drains or by natural water migration throughout the house. The sewer ejector pump's job is to pump the sewage out of the pit and away from the building so the basement or crawlspace don't get backups and the drain system in the house or building stays in working.

According to the American Society of Home Inspectors, more than 60 percent of American homes suffer from below-ground wetness. But even more homeowners are likely to have to deal with a flooded basement at some point. It doesn't take much water to cause thousands of dollars of damage. A moist basement can also lead to mold and mildew growth, bringing with it all its related health and breathing and other health hazards.

Sewer ejector pumps have been a common fixture in some homes for years. Today, sewer ejector pumps are common in new construction homes and old homes as well who have the drains bellow the grade or city sewer level.

Like any equipment with moving parts, sewer ejector pumps will wear out over time and will need to be replaced. There is no general rule on how often a sewer ejector pump should be replaced since it depends on how often the pump operates.Call your local Mr Drain ® today to inspect your sewer ejector pump before it fails and floods your basement or crawlspace.

Perform Regular Sump Pump Testing.
The local plumbers at Mr Drain ®are experts in any kind of sump pump and sewer ejectors don't delay in the below grade drain system before you get a flood in basements and crawlspace give us a call today our experts are available 24-7-365 to inspect your sump and sewer ejector pump.

It is very important to test your sump pump often to ensure it is working properly. You can test our sump pump by either filling up your sump pump pit or well with water from a garden hose or a bucket. Your sump pump should turn on when the water reaches a level below the flood line, discharge most of the water from the pit and shut itself off in a matter of seconds. Soon all water will be discharged. Some water in the bottom of the pit is normal and can help trap smells and gasses.

If flooding is occurring in your basement, and your sump pump pit is not filling up with water, your weeping tile may be blocked or broken. You can test your weeping tile by running a garden hose to your window wells and turning the water on.

Eventually, this water should make its way to your sump pump pit. If you suspect a blocked or broken weeping tile or are experiencing poor water drainage or pooling around your foundation, call Mr Drain ® immediately.

Consider a Backup Sump Pump Power Source.
If your home or business experiences a power failure or disruption for an extended period of time, if your power source short circuits a backup power source like a generator or a heavy duty marine battery can power your sump pump and protect your basement from flooding and water damage. Ask Mr Drain ® about the best below grade backup solution for your property.

When to Replace Your Sump Pump.
As with any machine, especially those that come into contact with water, your home's sump pumps will eventually wear out and break down over time, and the more often it runs, and the longer it pumps, the sooner it will break down and will either need to be repaired or replaced altogether. If your sump pump is not turning on as often as it should, if minor flooding is occurring, or it fails to discharge a sufficient amount of water, it may be time to call Mr Drain ®.

Confusion. Never get confused with sump pump or sewer ejector pump.

At Mr Drain ® we want to clear the difference between the sump pump and a sewer ejector pump especially for the first time home buyers never mix both terms. Never get confused with sump or sewer ejector pumps. If you are not sure just call us at 408-613-6566 and one of our certified plumbers will explain the difference and even diagnose the problem on phone depending on the problem.

Sump pumpsare designed to remove unwanted water, such as surface or ground water that leak into a building. Sump pumps only have to pump water, never solids.
A sump pump is normally installed in a pit at the low end of a basement or crawl space floor.

In a bad building water entry situation water runs across the basement/crawl space floor into the sump pit where it is pumped away (after already wetting the building and inviting a mold contamination problem). This condition pertains when water is entering a building through foundation walls, often because the roof drainage or surface runoff is directed right against the building foundation itself. Keeping gutters and leaders working and correcting outside drainage errors are critical in keeping water out of a building.

Doesn't it make more sense to prevent water from coming into a building than to let it in and then pump it out?

In a good situation, openings in the sides and bottom of the sump pit, or an under-floor drainage system direct subsurface water into the sump pit before the ground water level rises enough to send water into the building. Over several years of operation, and partly by pumping a little soil silt as it operates, a sump pump may actually improve the flow of under-floor water into the sump pit, thus reducing building water entry.

At Mr Drain ® we specialize in full service, repair and replacement of sump pumps, and following related services.